TO CONTRIBUTE LIBERALLY TO THE BUILDING, REBUILDING, WE CHAPTER I. CONTAINING THE INTRODUCTION. E are fallen into an age wherein many of our churches, if by no other cause, yet by bare length of time, A decay of piety, as well Christian as of Christian churches among us. are become so far decayed, as to stand in need, either of being wholly rebuilt, or else very much repaired. And although such works necessarily occasion costs and charges, yet would they occasion no com B plaint on that account, was there not too visibly among us a decay of Christian piety, as well as of Christian churches. The very small sums generally given to An evidence thereof is the very small sums generally given to briefs, especially for churches. too plain and sad a proof that the decay of piety among us is not small. The sum given by a whole parish, being generally no more than, if as much, as ought to be given by one single wealthy person therein; did he but think half as much of the obligations and bonds himself lies under to Providence for the wealth he enjoys, as he does of those bonds and obligations others lie under to him for sums lent; or was he but half so industrious in procuring good spiritual interest, as he is in procuring good temporal interest for his money. When a person, that has several hundreds The rich chiefly blamable herein, and that on a double account. or thousands a year, shall be able to content himself with giving no more than sixpence to a Brief; another, whose estate or income is not a twelfth part of the former's, may very easily content himself with giving an half-penny, this being more in proportion to what he is worth, than sixpence is to what the former is worth. And according to this rate, the generality of common persons may look on themselves as wholly excused from giving any thing. And as by these means it comes to pass, that the sum given in a whole parish of large extent frequently arises to no more than four or five shillings, and in smaller parishes to no more than one or two shillings: so it is hence observable, that persons of estates or wealth may justly be esteemed blamable in this matter on a double account; namely, forasmuch as they not only give too sparingly themselves, but also thereby give bad example to others. And yet after all it is to be wished, that there were no persons of wealth and distinction, who gave still worse example, by being so far from giving so much as sixpence, as to think it no other than a piece of mere imprudence and weakness to give any thing. It may therefore be justly esteemed a very necessary work, and a great act of Christian O charity, to endeavour to undeceive such per An act of charity to undeceive the rich in this point. sons in so weighty a point; and in order hereto, to lay before all per sons of estates or wealth, the great and indispensable duty they lie under of contributing liberally, as to other works of piety, so particularly to the rebuilding or repairing of churches. And that what is here offered may have the greater influence, it may be of use These papers not drawn up with any selfish views. to observe, that I was induced to draw up these papers, by such considerations as relate to the public good of the church in general, not by any considerations relating to my own particular church, and consequently by no selfish views. For as to my own parish church, it has been lately so well repaired, as not to be likely to want any considerable repair for some ages; and withal, the very smallness of its size seems a sufficient security that it will never stand in need of a public contribution. It is also to be here observed, that whatever makes it our duty to contribute toward the |